Christmas Anny Bag

I bought the fun Anny Bag pattern from my blogging friend Anny of It’s Sew Anny, and I decided to make my first one using Christmasy remnants. Although the pattern calls for ruffles on both sides, I left the back unruffled to show off this fun print. The pattern has fabric measurements for two different sizes, and the lined bag has a flat base and two large inside pockets. It was REALLY fun to sew, and I’ll definitely be making more! Check out the Anny Bag and Anny’s other great bag patterns at the It’s Sew Anny Etsy Shop . . . thank you, Anny! ♥

I Won Some Patterns!

When the lovely Simona of Sewing Adventures in the Attick decided to downsize her pattern collection, she hosted a giveaway . . . and I won two! I can’t wait to try them out!  If you haven’t met Simona yet, please click below to read about:

• her Craftsy class,
• her cute pillows (and you KNOW how much I love pillows!),
• her gorgeous party dress,
• her sporty red and white dress,
• her altered T’s, and
• her colorful Christmas stockings!

Thank you, Simona!  ♥

The Mini-Screen Bag

Clear back in January I posted about the Mini-Screen Bag pattern I bought from Sew Michelle.  I finally found the perfect spot of time to make it!  It was really fun, and I learned some new-to-me techniques, such as making and inserting piping and making zipper tabs.  The pattern uses screen (which is why it’s see-through!) and two coordinating fabrics. And did I say that it’s REALLY fun to make??? 🙂  You can find the pattern here along with other bags, totes, purses, and notebook covers.  And . . . Michelle even has some F-R-E-E patterns for us on her TUTORIALS page!  Thank you, Michelle! ♥

New Purse and Tote

I bought this purse pattern from my talented bloggy friend Laura at LC’s Cottage Etsy shop and couldn’t wait to try it!

The pattern comes in four different sizes and has very clear directions. It was perfect for my first try at sewing a real purse!

This project was really fun to make and I plan to try it again . . . although maybe with fabric that doesn’t need matched next time. 🙂

The purse has a large outside pocket and two smaller ones inside, and I used one of my grandmother’s vintage buttons for the closure.

Since I had some fabric left over, I designed a little tote with the patterned fabric on the bottom, inside, and handles and some vintage bead a-la-mode. ♥

Sewing World Magazine

I’ve always wanted to read a Sewing World magazine, so I was on cloud nine when offered the opportunity to do a review!  Editor Julie mailed the July edition all the way to Kansas from the UK, and after devouring every page, I give it a 10 out of 10!  And I was so excited to see this amazing bag designed by one of my favorite bloggers, Susan of Susie D Designs (with a pattern you can also get at Susan’s Etsy shop . . . and she’ll have a bag in the September issue, too!)  Since a picture is worth a thousand words, please browse the photos and my comments below and then click HERE to go to the Sewing World website for subscription information and lots of fun projects, patterns, and other goodies.  Thank you, Julie! ♥

Amanda’s Apron

I LOVED my houseful of little boys! But I was also super-excited when my niece Amanda was born. She used to come for an Amanda-Aunt Kathy overnighter every summer where we’d play, sew, craft, embroider, bake, and shop. Now Amanda is grown-up, married, and a high school math teacher several states away (besides being beautiful, she’s also S-M-A-R-T!), but on a recent visit back home she came to sew with me! She loved the blog posts with the ruffly aprons (here and here), so that’s what we made. Amanda picked these lovely, summery fabrics from my stash, which are all from my bloggy friend Laura’s LC’s Cottage Etsy Shop. Isn’t it just perfect on her? ♥

 

 

Easiest Skirt Ever!

I LOVE my new “5-Minute Skirt” designed by Amy at Angry Chicken. It took me a little over an hour to make the pattern, sew, and press it. It’s a perfect fit, and I get lots of compliments every time I wear it, including raves about the fabulous fabric from my bloggy friend Laura’s LC’s Cottage Etsy shop! This was my first time using foldover elastic, too, and I’m now a fan . . . especially when it has a fun design like this (from Jo-Ann)! Following are a few tips to go with Amy’s excellent tutorial:

• DON’T skip the part in Step 3 about trying on the skirt after sewing up the side seams. I had to take mine up another seam’s width on both sides.
• I had a little trouble folding, holding, and stretching the waist elastic all at the same time. So, I first left it flat, holding it against the wrong side of the skirt and stretching and zigzagging, THEN folded it over to the right side and zig-zagged around it again. You might not need to do this, but it helped me!
• After completing Step 4, I noticed that the sides hung a little longer than the front and back (a pattern creation error on my part, I’m sure), so I measured and marked the length all the way around from the bottom of the waist elastic and evened it up where needed before hemming.

P.S. I just saw another fun pattern called a “10-Minute Skirt” on The Frugal Crafter. You can check out a cute finished version made of vintage fabric by Stefani at Jewels for All. ♥

Free Dress or Top Pattern!

While I’m on a roll with new wearable discoveries, I thought I’d add a link to a FREE pattern and tutorial I found while reading my April, 2013 Martha Stewart Living magazine.

Just click here for a design you can adapt for a dress, tunic, or blouse–long-sleeves or short.

I love the idea of a tunic with a belt!

Happy sewing! ♥

P.S. You still have two more days to enter the Origami Owl blogger locket giveaway!  The winner will be announced on Monday.  Can’t wait!

Trixie Lixie (Don’t you just LOVE that name?)

I was the amazingly lucky winner of a recent giveaway on the Trixie Lixie blog . . . a beautiful fabric covered journal! I just love it, and it even has a pocket on the inside back cover. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, Tracy also sent me one of the new knicker kits she sells in her shop! Just look at this pretty fabric and elastic! I can’t wait to try this project! Following are LOTS of links you can follow to check out Tracy”s creativity from this post or anytime from my Shop Love! page above. Thank you, Tracy! ♥

• Click here for the Trixie Lixie blog.
• Click here for a tutorial on making fabric-covered journals.
• Click here for a knicker tutorial.
• Click here for the Trixie Lixie shop.
• Click here for the Trixie Lixie FB page.

Sew Michelle

I recently bought this fun tote pattern from my blogging friend Michelle of Sew Michelle. I can’t wait to make it! Besides the detailed, photo-filled e-book, Michelle includes a unique feature called a “Sewnopsis” at the end of her patterns—a reference tool that has the supply list, cutting instructions, and important steps all on one super-handy page. Michelle has other amazing bag patterns as well and has also been kind enough to make some FREE patterns available to us! Click on the “Tutorials” link to find projects such as this “Owl Sweet Treat Holder”—PERFECT for Valentine’s Day!

“I have taught sewing classes for many years and have learned that including detailed instructions with lots of pictures makes it seem like I am right there with you when working on your project. My mission is to ‘Inspire You to Sew’ and I hope you will go and do just that,” shares Michelle. Please check out Michelle’s patterns at Sew Michelle from this post or anytime from my Shop Love! page above. ♥

Pattern Love!

I now have two more pattern stores on my Shop Love! page!

(1) I can’t WAIT to make this Ailsa Large Market Bag pattern I bought from Susie D Designs! Susie also has patterns for many other tote bags, travel bags, diaper bags, hobo bags, shoulder bags, wallets, iPad and Kindle sleeves, and more, and her customer service is SUPER. Check out Susie’s blog here, her Etsy store here, and her Craftsy patten store here. Thank you, Susie!

(2) I won a pattern for this adorable Charlotte Skirt from Joanne at Stitch and Witter. Joanne’s blogging friends at Stitch Me Softly have recently created By Hand London, and I’m one of the lucky ones who gets to try one of their brand-new designs! Thank you Joanne . . . you’ll be seeing one of these skirts on Pillows A-La-Mode soon! ♥

More Shop Love!

Last week I put out my first “Shop Love!” post.

I wanted to start promoting our blogging friends’ small businesses.

I’ve done a little more shopping . . .

and I won a giveaway . . .

so today I’d like to highlight four more bloggers and stores.

Once again, each one impressed me with both their BEAUTIFUL products . . .

and their QUALITY customer service.

Here are their contact links!

You can also check them out ANYtime on my new “Shop Love” page above. ♥

(1) The Original Thread: I fell in LOVE with this inspirational 2013 calendar, which is designed by Melanie of The Original Thread blog and sold as a fabric panel in her Spoonflower shop at Madex Designs. She has many other gorgeous fabrics as well!

(2) Terri’s Notebook: I recently won a lovely giveaway from Terri’s Notebook—two pdf patterns. I was going to wait until I made the items to share them . . . but that hasn’t happened yet, so I’ll share what they WILL look like. 🙂 The first pattern is for Stuff Baskets and the second is for a Checkerboard Set, and both are for sale at her Patchwork Trails Etsy Shop. You can also visit Terri’s portfolio here and her paper goods shops here. Terri’s motto is “Explore. Dream. Create.” Don’t you love that? ♥

(3) A Kitschy Kitchen: I’m just starting to make aprons myself, but I know someone on my gift list who will LOVE this one! It’s from Megan of A Kitschy Kitchen: The Life and Studio of an Apronista who sells her creations at her Etsy shop. Notice, too, the adorable fabric gift card holder! Stressing quality as well as beauty, Megan’s motto is “Buy Well, Buy Once.” She also has some other lovely items in her shop, such as embroidery, cocktail napkins, and coasters.

(4) TheHighNoteDotNet: I’ve followed Darilyn’s lovely blog thehighnotedotnet for a long time now and was so excited to receive my first purchase from her Etsy shop, which specializes in vintage music projects. Darilyn even included a little gift . . . a copy of my favorite quote, which I embroidered on a pillow and she offers to all of us for free to make an iron-on transfer. She graciously provides tutorials for her projects as well. And check out her craft room . . . it’s amazing!

 

Penny Pattern Weights

I’ve been seeing all sorts of tutorials for tiny weights to use in place of pins when cutting out a pattern. I’d never heard of this before, so it sounded intriguing! Wanting to use items I already had on hand, a quick search yielded just what I needed:  two-inch green felt circles left over from a Christmas wreath pillow I made last winter and a stash of pennies I keep around to go with my Pennies book when I do classroom author presentations. To make a pattern weight, I simply held two circles together, handstitched most of the way around the edges with a contrasting color of embroidery floss (all six strands), filled the tiny bag with ten pennies, then finished the last stitch or two and tied off the floss. Easy-peasie! Now, what shall I sew . . . .  ♥